Incentive doubled for Delhi ASHA workers
New Delhi, May 22: The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved increased incentives to ASHA workers by doubling the core incentive to Rs 3,000.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, also doubled incentives payable in different identified categories.
"In order to support ASHA workers during pregnancy, it has been decided to provide them maternity benefit of Rs 2,000 per month for six months during perinatal period," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said.
"ASHA workers provide a link and help to improve health indices for around 100 lakh plus population living in vast pockets of urban slums and difficult areas, depending upon health indicator, poor sanitation, water supply, prevalent malnutrition, communicable disease burden and an adverse female sex ratio," the statement added.
There is one ASHA worker for every 2,000 population (400 households).
The ASHA workers are expected to devote at least three to four hours every day for five days a week to their activities, including home visits, attending health and nutrition days and outreach sessions.
The Cabinet also approved a Health Department proposal to increase bed capacity of a new hospital at Burari from 200 to 768 beds.
According to the information provided by the PWD, 65 per cent of the project work and 85 percent of hospital structure has been completed so far.
"The project was reviewed and it was decided that some structural adjustment is required to accommodate more beds in the new hospital, which will provide healthcare to the residents of north Delhi.
"This new hospital is a seven-storey structure. The proposal to have more beds will be achieved with a revised estimate of Rs 265.80 crore instead of Rs 200 crore earlier," the statement added.
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FTII’s Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know qualifies for Oscars 2025
Bengaluru: The Kannada short film Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, directed by Chidananda S. Naik, has officially qualified for the 2025 Academy Awards, announced the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday. The film has earned a spot in the Live Action Short Film category.
The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Earlier this year, Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know won the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, a platform for emerging filmmakers. The La Cinef Jury at Cannes lauded the film for its exceptional storytelling and direction, with the jury describing it as "an illumination that, from the depths of the night, shines with humour and a keen sense of direction."
Film director Naik stated, “I have aspired to tell this story for as long as I can remember. Our goal was to recreate the experience of not merely hearing these stories but of genuinely living them–an experience I hope resonates with audiences around the globe.”
The 15-minute film is based on Kannada folk tale about an old woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster.
The film’s team includes Suraj Thakur as the cinematographer, Manoj V. as the editor and Abhishek Kadam for sound design.
The 97th Academy Awards will take place in March 2025.
